Business Secretary Vince Cable has agreed to meet West Midlands MPs and business leaders to hear their concerns about jobs and industry in the region.

He agreed to requests for a meeting to discuss what the Government would do to support the economy in Birmingham, the Black Country and the wider West Midlands.

The West Midlands suffered more than other regions during the economic downturn and suffered the highest rate of unemployment in the country.

Unemployment is now falling, but new figures this week showed 216,000 people are currently out of work in the West Midlands, an unemployment rate of 8 per cent.

This is still significantly higher than it was this time two years ago, when 166,000 people in the region were unemployed.

And the number of manufacturing jobs in the region has fallen from 330,000 two years ago to 276,000 today.

The figures also show that there are 46,612 people claiming Jobseekers Allowance in Birmingham alone.

Black Country MP Ian Austin (Lab Dudley North) asked Dr Cable to set out his plans for the West Midlands, as he spoke in the House of Commons.

Mr Austin said: “The deep-seated structural challenges facing the West Midlands economy mean that our region has been hit harder by the downturn than anywhere else in the country, and the recovery will take longer, too.

“Is the Secretary of State prepared to meet a cross-party delegation of Members of Parliament from the West Midlands and business leaders from the region so that we can discuss plans to bring new industries and new jobs to the region?”

Dr Cable told him: “I am happy to do that. In recent times, I have met opposition Members from the West Midlands who were concerned about the car industry and others who were concerned about ceramics.”

Labour MPs say they are particularly concerned that the Spending Review, when the Government will set out details of massive spending cuts, could lead to more unemployment.

The Government argues that it has taken measures to help employers in regions such as the West Midlands, including introducing cutting National Insurance for employers who take on new staff. The rebate is available to business set up outside London, the South East and East of England.